Laser scanners are used for a multitude of applications such as an image projection, in headlights, or for scanning the environments of vehicles. A laser scanner particularly is a device by which a laser beam is directed to a deflection device, which controls the laser beam according to an actuating signal in such a way that the reflected laser beam scans a particular solid angle region, e.g., a screen. Scanning here refers to a traversing scanning of the solid angle region or the screen, e.g., using a zigzag pattern. The desired scanning density may depend on the respective application.
U.S. Patent App. Pub. No. 2010/079 836 A1 exemplarily describes a laser scanner as it will be elucidated in greater detail in the following text with the aid of FIG. 7. FIG. 7 shows a conventional laser scanner 1, which has a light source 2 that is designed to generate a laser beam 3 and to guide it onto a deflection device 4. Laser beam 3 impinging on deflection device 4 is deflected as deflected laser beam 5 in the direction of screen 6, and a closed-loop control unit 7 controls deflection device 4 in order to scan screen 6.
Towards this end, deflection device 4 rotates about a first axis of rotation, which may also be referred to as a fast axis of rotation, so that screen 6 is periodically traversed in the horizontal direction from left to right and back again. In addition, deflection device 4 rotates about a second axis of rotation, which may also be called the slow axis of rotation, such that laser beam 5 periodically traverses screen 6 from top to bottom and back again. Superposing the movements about the first and the second, i.e., the fast and the slow, axis of rotation results in the zigzag pattern shown on screen 6 in FIG. 7. Closed-loop control unit 7 receives position signals 8, which indicate a respective position of deflection device 4, and adapts control signals 9 for the control of deflection device 4 on the basis thereof. Conventional methods for sensing the current position of deflection device 4 function according to the electrostatic, piezo-resistive or electromagnetic principle, for instance.